


Pain? Feels a lot like love

by Gemini_Baby



Series: Bruce & Dick Week 2021 [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: (don't ask), Baby Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dick Grayson Gets a Hug, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Hurt Bruce Wayne, Hurt/Comfort, Injury/Wounds, Kinda, non-graphic injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29046507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemini_Baby/pseuds/Gemini_Baby
Summary: “It’s fair”, Dick said. He tried to adjust himself and lie down next to Bruce. Trying to find the edge of the blanket to steal it from him, tiny elbows dug into Bruce’s side and Bruce had to pretend it didn’t hurt.It didn’t. Really.He tried to blink away the vision of Alfred raising his eyebrow.Tiny limbs found their way to jab at his side and ribs for good measure again as the kid’s quest to pull the blanket away from Bruce, so he could also get in, continued. At this point, Bruce was now pretty sure this was actually why he had gotten the whole training for suppressing pain and signs of it, at least outwardly, in name of becoming Batman.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Bruce Wayne
Series: Bruce & Dick Week 2021 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2127189
Comments: 11
Kudos: 88
Collections: Bat Family 18+ Discord Server January Prompt Event, BruDick Week 2021





	Pain? Feels a lot like love

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you Aki for the title <3  
> Thank you Shell (neptunedance) for the beta help <3
> 
> Written using the prompt, "Recovery/Injuries/Wounds" for Day 4 of Bruce & Dick Event and "Hugs" prompt for January Prompt Server Event

Bruce woke up to dim lights that were still harsh on his eyes. The feeling in his body returning bit by bit and once he got the feeling in his whole body back, he wanted to revert back to his previous state.

It was afternoon if the sun glaring at him through his window was anything to go by. 

His sides hurt. Going against a dangerous gang on a school night - not his but Dick’s - had not been one of his best ideas or plans.

But still, Bruce found one contentment in it: Dick was not hurt because Bruce had not taken him with him. It had turned out that those people had been  _ prepared  _ to kill Batman and Robin.  _ Too prepared. _

Even Batman had a tough time fighting them.

In the end, he had been successful in taking them down, tying them up and having Commissioner Gordon pick those members up with his team. In conclusion, he had won the fight but not before losing a suspicious amount of blood and getting too many injuries.

Stab wounds and hits to the ribs on a Thursday Night? 0/5. Would Not Recommend.

So where was Bruce in his monologue? 

Oh yes! Being glad that Dick had not been hurt.

But as to how the kid was actually doing, that was something Bruce couldn’t tell. There was a suspicious lack of a lump beside him. He knew it was because it was Friday; a school day and Alfred may have not even told Dick about Bruce being back but injured as to not get the boy worried.

Bruce felt like a kid counting seconds to when the weekend would arrive. He was doing just that though, wasn’t he? Counting seconds and minutes to when the school bell would ring and when Alfred would bring Dick home.

It was Friday. They would stay in for the weekend. No patrol. Just Bruce and Dick spending time with each other.

  
  


The sound of the car downstairs woke Bruce up from his nap, alerting him to their arrival. Bruce shifted to hear better. The sounds of Dick entering the manor and racing up the staircase while cackling reached his ears. A traitorous smile found its way on his face and Bruce shifted again; careful enough to not put pressure on his sides or wounds.

Dick had just gotten back from school after eight hours. It was time for his snack and later nap.

Hmm…

_ (Maybe he could call Dick for doing homework together, later.) _

_ (That sounded good.) _

At his own bedside table, there was a bowl of food with its lid covered and medicine sat next to it. Alfred must have left it there. No words had been spoken by the man, yet the meaning rang out, loud and clear.  _ Bruce was to not leave the bed. _

Bruce sighed. He picked up the bowl, removing the lid. He wasn’t technically hungry but it wasn’t like he could do much else. So he settled on passing the time by finishing his meal instead.

This time he didn’t know when he fell asleep again. He hadn’t even felt sleepy earlier. Maybe it was because of the medicine he took after the food.

  
  
  


He woke up to the sounds of someone trying to tiptoe around the room. Their target or destination was the bed. The footsteps were small and he could tell who it was.

Bruce made no move to get up or move away. He wanted to see what Dick would do.

Soon enough, the side of the bed dipped and then there were limbs prodding around; trying to check where the lumps were blankets and where it was Bruce. Satisfied with his findings, he reached towards Bruce’s torso.

“I know you are awake, B.”

“Aww, no fair.”

“It’s fair”, Dick said. He tried to adjust himself and lie down next to Bruce. Trying to find the edge of the blanket to steal it from him, tiny elbows dug into Bruce’s side and Bruce had to pretend it didn’t hurt.

It didn’t. Really.

He tried to blink away the vision of Alfred raising his eyebrow.

Tiny limbs found their way to jab at his side and ribs for good measure again as the kid’s quest to pull the blanket away from Bruce, so he could also get in, continued. At this point, Bruce was now pretty sure this was actually why he had gotten the whole training for suppressing pain and signs of it, at least outwardly, in name of becoming Batman.

Otherwise, it was a failed regimen. He had not accounted to become a fathe- guardian. An unfortunate oversight.

Finding his own limbs and after untangling his arms, he got them out of the blankets and wrapped it around Dick before those elbows would reach their victim — his sides — again and pulled him into a hug.

It worked. No longer focused on pulling away the blankets from Bruce, Dick let Bruce hug him.

It no longer worked. Dick tried to move his arms to wrap around Bruce so that he could also hug properly in return and the hand unknowingly once hit Bruce’s side. When Dick succeeded in returning the hug, the hands around the back put pressure on one of the many cuts littering Bruce’s back.

Bruce rocked them both lightly. For Dick’s sake or for his, he didn’t know.

Just like he didn’t know how he had become responsible for such a tiny precious human. Said child who was currently embracing him. Who trusted him to keep him safe.

He tucked Dick’s head under his chin. Rocking them back and forth.

Too bad he didn’t remember his mother’s lullabies to him or he could have hummed one right now. How many things were there which Bruce didn’t remember and won’t be able to pass on to Dick? Bruce wondered for a moment and then let go of the thought.

Maybe he might not be able to pass on old traditions, things from his parents to Dick. But here and now, he could actually make some memories with Dick instead.

Bruce was distracted as he was lost in those thoughts only to be snapped out of them when the blankets were tugged. He tightened his arms around the kid. Smiling, he exclaimed, “Caught you!”

“Caught who?” Dick asked.

“Blanket thief.”

Dick turned towards him. Levelled him with a very  _ serious  _ look, pouted and said, “You stop hogging all the blankets.”

“Gasp.”

“Did you...just  _ say _ ‘gasp’?”

_ “Maayybeee” _

_ “Hmph” _

“Did you do your homework?”

“I have completed some of it.”

“And the rest?”

“They gave the homework for the whole weekend. I will also drag it the whole weekend.”

“How about we complete it tomorrow and then go to the amusement park either tomorrow evening or on Sunday?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“What about patrol for today?”

“No patrol this week or next week. And certainly not tonight.”

“Then what?”

“We spend some time together.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Ice-cream?”

“Ice-cream.”

“Amusement park?”

“Amusement park.”

Dick yawned. He rubbed at his eyes and Bruce was reminded how young his ward was. 

“Go to sleep, Chum.”

“Don’t want to go.”

“Then we stay.”

Bruce adjusted the blankets and lied down on the bed. Dick curled around him.

“Goodnight, B.”

“Goodnight, Dick.”

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, bookmarks and user subscriptions are always welcome and appreciated <3


End file.
